The newest post and image entries are on top of the page. Scroll from the bottom upwards to follow the flow status timeline of the Ruaha River per location

With the VDAS Idunda in the upper right the Ruaha River in the Ruaha Park still depends on local tributaries with limited overflow on January 21, 2023. Reduced or absence of local rains may dry the River at the Park HQ again.

Overflow Ihefu Swamp reaches Jongomero Confluence

Compare the flow in the Ruaha at confuence with Jongomero River as overflow from Ihefu Swamp reached on January 16, 2023.

Ruaha-Jongomero confluence on January 16, 2023 compare riverbed section in blue circle with next image 5 days earlier. Click on image to enlarge
Confluence Ruaha-Jongomero on January 11, 2023. Click to enlarge

Local Rivers sustain flow Ruaha Park HQ since December 24, 2022

With most of the run-off from the rains in the upper reaches of the Ruaha and Mbarali Rivers diverted for rice irrigation on the Usangu Plain, the flow at the Park Headquarter seems to be sustained by locale rivers in the Ruaha Park on January 11, 2023

With almost zero flow from Ihefu at the confluence of the Ruaha with the Jongomero River in the Ruaha Park, the flow at Msembe Bridge (Park HQ) is mainly supplied from local rains, on January 11, 2023. The sentinel 2 image has resolution of 20m per pixel. (Click image to enlarge)

Flow returns at Msembe Bridge (Park HQ) December 24, 2022

Flow at Msembe Bridge sustained by local rains with no drainage from Usangu Rice Plain reaching the Park HQ on January 2, 2023. Without overflow from Ihefu swamp the Ruaha River can dry again at the Park HQ.

Landsat 8 Image of January 2, 2023 of Msembe Bridge left of center with small flow. Image width is 6.8km
Same section Ruaha River at Park HQ with 15m/px panchromatic detial of small flow as image at left. (Click image to enlarge)

Ruaha River Flow Monitor Tool (Remote Sensing) Zero Flow Period 2022 around 124 Days at Ruaha Park HQ

The flow at the Ruaha Park Headquarter returned after three months of zero flow between December 19 and 24, 2022.

Compare flow in Ruaha River on December 24, 2022 with dry riverbed (iage at right) on December 19, 2022. Part of the airfield at the Ruaha Park HQ is seen in upper center of the image.
Zero Flow in the PArk on December 19, 2022.

Zero flow period almost three months

Zero Flow at the Msembe Bridge (Ruaha Park HQ) on December 19, 2022 The bridge is the whilte line crossing the river (upper right of image) the pool of water upstream of the bridge can be distingiushed with gamma manipulation (see detail below).
Detail Msembe Bridge (see scale upper left) with upstream pool on December 19, 2022. The pool is photographed on December 9, 2016 below. (Click on image to enlarge)
The zero flow period pool south (upstream) of the Msembe Bridge at the Ruaha Park HQ on December 9, 2016.
Zero Flow on December 19, 2022 upstream of msembe bridge compare image below.
Sustained Zero Flow in the Ruaha River at Msembe Bridge (Top Right) to the Park Headquarter on December 4, 2022
On December 1, 2022 the seasonal return of the flow in the Ruaha River has still not yet reached the Park HQ, concluding from the isolated pools of water on the Landsat 8 panchromatic image (15m/px). The today storm (December 2, 2022) may soon end the zero flow period in the Ruaha National Park.
November 15, 2022 still zero flow at Park HQ according to the Landsat 8 panchromatic 15m/px image. The pools of water in the dry Ruaha River are black on the image. The total width of the image represents approximately 3.3km. (click to enlarge)
August 21, 2022 assessed remotely as first zero flow day Msembe Brdige (Park HQ). Click to enlarge.
Ruaha Flow Status on October 21, 2018 which is 14 days of Zero Flow at Msembe Bridge (Park HQ)
July 30, 2022

The use NBR images is not practical with the numerous clouds on both images . The NIR composite also provides a good first estimate of the diversion and spill magnitude some 1-2 weeks before the arrival of the first zero flow day at the Park HQ..
October 19, 2018 corresponding with 19 days before the first zero flow day at Msembe Bridge (Park HQ)
Compare flow status Ruaha River at Msembe Bridge on July 12, 2022 with high resolution flow pattern 37days before zero flow in 2018 (below). Looking at the size of the pools and channels on July 12, the Ruaha river seems to have more discharge on July 12, 2022, than the flow on October 1, 2018. This suggests that zero flow may be more than 37 days from July 12, 2022 corresponding with August 18, 2022. However based on the analysis of the NBR image (images below) the daily reduction of the Flow in the Ruaha entering the Usangu Plain from October 1, 2018 onwards, will be less than from the low flow in the Ruaha reaching the Usangu Plain from July 12, 2022. In say three weeks time we will need to check if the diversion and spill at Usangu have become comparable and the resulting drainage at Msembe is becoming equivalent. Comparable drainage losses are required to make reasonable predictions about the critical low flows and the arrival of zero flow.
October 1, 2018 (NBR Sentinel-2)
July 12, 2022 (NBR Sentinel-2)
Flow pattern Ruaha River at Msembe Bridge (Park HQ) 37 days before start zero flow period 3m/px resolution October 1, 2018. (click to enlarge)